'Zero' moved though the palace hallways, his conversation with the Empress still whirling in his mind. How right was she? How wrong was he?
Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. He just wanted to close his eyes and have Lelouch there with him again and never have to feel lost anymore.
Maybe Nunnally was right, maybe he was expecting too much from Andre, who knew nothing than what he'd read in history books and that Lelouch had been the man he loved. He'd even told Andre that thought that he might of been Lelouch's reincarnation once, a long time ago. He had thought nothing of then, only that Andre looked so similar to Lelouch that wondered if people could be reborn. Maybe that was only the one of his many mistakes.
He closed his eyes, suddenly feeling the isolation of Zero's mask. Did Lelouch feel the same way when he wore this mask? Did he feel alone with no one to rely on?
He felt strong hands rest on his shoulders, a voice yelling his name and his nausea slowly subsiding. Suzaku raised his head, hands still shaking has he met eyes with the boy.
"Suzaku, are you alright? What is wrong?"
He let out a smug laugh as he turned his head away. The boys eye's were blue, but dark and unfamiliar. His forehead marked with worry lines that Lelouch would have never shown. He had be wrong and now it was too late to fix his mistakes.
"You aren't Lelouch." He said it softly at first, as if testing out the words like a child tasting something for the first time.
"What?" Andre moved closer.
"You aren't Lelouch. You never were. You're just a boy that looked like him. I could see Lelouch in you but, you never could be him; ever."
Andre pulled away quickly, eyes dancing with tears and anger flashed across his features. "What are you saying!" He was starting to yell.
Suzaku stood up slowly, his face calm, but he could feel he was on the edge of tears. "I'm sorry Andre. It seems C.C. was making fun of me his whole time. You'll never fulfill her wish and we'll never be happy as we are now."
"Suzaku please! Don't say that!" Andre ran forward, flinging himself onto Suzaku; hysterical.
"It's my own fault. I've betrayed Lelouch once again, and I've betrayed you as well, Andre."
"Don't call me that! I'm Lelouch! Please! Let me be your Lelouch!"
"But you aren't…" Suzaku let a shaky hand fall underneath his cape to find the gun he had hidden underneath the layers.
"But this geass! It can fix everything!"
"There is nothing good that comes out of a selfish geass. Lelouch taught me that. You have no will to pass on to anyone."
"Suzaku…" The boy's voice cracked and Suzaku knew he was considering using his geass on him. He pulled him up so Andre's face was only inches away from his own and whispered against his lips.
"But it should be ok if I have one last kiss, right Lelouch?"
As their lips met, Suzaku let his finger close tightly against the trigger and he tasted blood in the boy's mouth. He let silent tears fall down his checks as the boy slumped to the floor and he dropped the gun and walked away.
On the morning when he turned 40 he coughed up blood. But he only smiled weakly at the fact his body was finally giving up what his will had long thrown away. He had guessed he had been sick for awhile now, but enjoyed letting things take their course than wishing to live longer than needed.
He had gone to see Nunnally immediately on that day and with a sad face had told him that 'Zero' was now dead and unneeded in this new world. So he had taken the few items he ever owned and found himself a small home out in the country side where no one would find him.
The last 4 years had been lonely, but no where as lonely as he had felt before. When we read the news that a young count in the Britannian government was shot by a terrorist, he wanted to thank Nunnally for not tainting the last thing Lelouch had left both of them.
He closed his eyes, letting out a long shaky breath before turning his head to look out the window; only to be blocked by a figure standing before him.
"Nice to see you again, Suzaku Kururuigi."
"Oh you've come to make fun of a dying man now, C.C.?"
"I just thought it would have been appropriate to have at least someone here to say goodbye too."
"I have no one left to say that to."
She said nothing and he continued to stare at her, her long green hair pulled up high on her head and wearing a blue peasant dress.
"You never gave him a geass did you?" He turned away, letting a smile form on his lips.
"He had whatever you wanted him to have, remember?"
"I killed him again, I killed Lelouch again. Even when he had done nothing wrong."
"Such is your fate in this lifetime."
"This lifetime...?" His eyes stayed focused on the ceiling, as if considering just what that meant.
"I'm sure in another life when both of you are reborn you will for sure have a happy ending."
"And what about you?" He looked at her blankly. "Are you happy living as you are?"
"Lelouch fulfilled my wish. I just want to watch the world move on peacefully now." She held nothing in her hands, no suitcase, no Cheese-kun. Suzaku wondered where she had come from all of the sudden.
"Of course." The room was silent until he coughed again, blood trickling down his ruff chin.
"You're dying and yet," She said suddenly, still feet away from his bed.
"This geass continues to activate, wanting me to live. Even after he's dead, he won't let me follow after him." He laughed bitterly, bring up a hand to wipe away the warm liquid.
"He wanted you to be happy."
"I know. But, how can a man with no past or future ever be happy?"
"He believed you were strong enough."
"He thought too highly of me." He shifted under the covers, feeling tired once more.
"If you have nothing else to say to me, I'd like to sleep more."
"Very well, then I'll bid my farewell."
"Goodbye." His breath became low and unsteady has he fell into unconsciousness.
"I'm sure you'll be happy again, Suzaku Kururugi." And the witch was gone.